Improved seoeet bed



CHARLES 'r..1`sowEus`,or nos'ron, trassacunsa'rfrs.-

Lewisham No. ramadan Mai-1. 24, 186s.

IMPROVED SECRET BED.

dite Srlphule refttrer't in time etters patent nrt makingpnrt at the snm.

TO ALL WHOM IT MAY C()NCERN:4

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. BOWERS, of Boston, in the county of VSuii'ollr, and State of Massachusetts,

have invented an Improved Secret Bed; and I do hereby declare that thefollowing, taken in connection with the drawings which accompany and-form part of this specication, is a description' of my invention suflicient to enable those skilled in the art to practise it. I

My invention relates to the construction of a secret bed, to be combined with a. book-oase, wardrobe, sideboard, or article of furniture having a cupboard or space Iin its lower part suitable for the purpose.

. I generally prefer. to combine the bed with la. case having book-shelves in 4its upper part, vthe bed having an extension and folding frame and a sectional mattress all concealed within the cupboard or lower part of the case.

The drawings represent a piece of furniture embodying my invention.

4A shows the book-case (having a bed containing cupboard) in front elevation. B represents aview of the same, showing the book-case proper in side elevation, and the bed-cupboard iu cross-section. C shows a plan of the bed-frame folded within the cupboard. D represents a side elevation, andE a plan ofthe extended bed. a denotes an ordinarybook-case, constructed with shelves and swinging doors, and resting on the base, b, in the usual manner. The base, b, is made without` divisions, and is preferably left open at the back, as seen at B, and contained within this base is the folding bed, bedstead, or bed-frame c, with the mattress-pieces or sections d. The headboard e is made as a single piece, or without division, as is also the foot-hoardf. The head-board may be 'formed of the front piece ofthe cupboard or base, as seen in the drawings, or may be a separate piece, jointed to the side-rails, in which latter case the front piece of the cupboard will constitute doors closing upon the bed when placed within the cupboard, and opening to allow withdrawal of the bedV therefrom. Each sidei'ail of the bed-frame is made sectional in the drawings. Oue end, y, of each side-rail is shown as permanently fixed to the foot-board, orso as to be stationary with respect thereto. Each of these stationary rail-pieces has a groove in its inner surface to receive a dove-tailing tongue on the next piece, z', which. piece also has a similar groove, 7c, receiving asimilar tongue on the piece g, these tongues and grooves enabling the two pieces to slide together as seen at C, or to/be drawn out, as seen at D and E. Next to each piece is a piece, Z, hinged thereto, and folding inwardly at right angles thereto, as seen at C, or opening out into line therewith, as seen at D E. Each piece lis similarly hinged to the next piece m, and the piece m to the head-board, the two pieces Zm being brought into line, as seen at C, or folded together and against the head-board, as seen at D E.

When the parts are folded as described, they make a compact rectangular frame, into which all the pieces of the sectional bed-bottom fit, (one upon the other,) the rails and head and foot-boards beingheld in relative position by hooks n. l

The bedstead-frame is held rmly in itsextended position, as follows z On the lower edge of the foot-boardv are two catches or hanged plates o, into which two similar catches or plates p, onthe end bed-piece q, drop, thus supporting that-edge of the piece q. On the opposite ends of this piece g are friction-rolls r, which run in grooves s, in plates secured to the inner surfaces of the front sliding rail-pieces z', the bed-piece q being made a little shorter than the width between the opposite rails z' to admit these rolls into said grooves. Each rail-piece t' Z m has similar anged plates s, 'and each bed-piece t, similar flanged plates u, the lips or anges u resting or hooking upon the plates s, thus supporting the bed-pieces; and, as each end of each bed-piece, in beingrapplied to the rails, crosses a joint where the rail-pieces are hinged,the rails are thus k-ept out straight and rigid.

When the bed is to be folded, the end-piece q is left in the frame, Vand the pillows are placed thereon. A'lhe outer piece is then lifted and placed ou top ofthe pillows, the two remaining bed-pieces are then placed on top of the others, the hinged rails arwe folded, and the rails g are then slid together, the hooks n are fastened, and the `bed is then ready to place in its case beneath the book-case, where it may be secured, if necessary, by a screw or other fastening, t. i l

It will be observed that the bed has no` permanent connection with the case or piece of furniture made to contain it when closed, the bed being removed therefrom, and made. up anywhere in a room, without regard to the position of the case, which only acts, with reference to the bed, as a receptacle therefor.

With the book-case there may be combined e toilet-giass, z, placed in a sliding frziine v, which slides to and from the beck ofthe book-case, and the glass itself, if desirable, sliding on rods w, and having a. toilet-sheif, x,

which is hinged to and folds up into the frame v, when the frame is slid back of the case.

To allow the foot-board and outer rails of the bedstcad to slide into the case, (the case being made of n width corresponding tothe width of the foot-board the posts y are hinged so as to swing out from the case, ns seen by the red lines at A.

The back ofthe bed-receiving cupboard may be closed, but I prefer to leave it open, for ventilation ofthe bed.

Instead of having the end-rail stationery with respect to the adjacent foot-board7 and with the next mils sliding upon them, each side ofthe frame may he mede up of three rails, the first hin-ged to the foot-board, and swingingin and folding against the same, and the'secondv hinged to the first, and the third to the second, they folding in against ealch other., and against the rst, bringing the head and foot-boards close to each other, separated by the thickness o'f the three rails; or the rails may nli be arranged to slide together, like the parallel rails of an extension-table.

I claim the combination, with ebook-case or other upright piece of furniture, of :t bed-frame having folding mils, and 'flanges for supporting the bed, said bed being made in sections, and so as to cross the joints in the rails, and the rails and bed being folded. and arranged together within the bottom of a. case a, when the bell is not in use, substantially as set forth. f

I also claim, combining with the upper port of the case a, the sliding mirror, substantially as set forth.

' CHAS. F. BOWERS.

Witnesses:

J. Bk' OnosBY, FRANCIS Gouw. 

